Speaker Search

Enquire about this Speaker

Steve Baxter

Recently
known for his role as a ‘Shark’ on Channel 10’s reality show ‘Shark Tank’,
Steve Baxter is an entrepreneur, investor and mentor. An engaging speaker, Steve delivers key
messages around his business success, challenges and growth.

Call 1300 314 788

or fill in this form

Your First Name*

Your Last Name

Your Phone No.

Your Email*

Company

Would you like to subscribe to our Newsletter to receive the latest Speaker news?

Steve Baxter's Biography

Tech
start-up investor Steve Baxter is a proud Queenslander, born in the remote town
of Cloncurry and raised in Emerald in the State’s central highlands.

He left
school at 15 and joined the Army, enlisting in its apprenticeship program. There,
he became a technician working in the field of electronics, telecoms and guided
weapon systems.

In 1994, at
the age of 23, Steve put his life savings of $11,000 on the line to launch his
first start-up, the pioneering internet service provider SE Net, from the spare
room of his Adelaide home.

Servicing
more than 35,000 customers, SE Net was eventually acquired by Ozemail/UUNet
under the stewardship of its founding Director and now Prime Minister, Malcolm
Turnbull.

In 2001,
Steve teamed with a schoolmate to launch his second start-up, PIPE Networks.
Eight years later they sold it to the TPG Group for $373 million.

Steve spent
a year working with Google in California in 2008, leading a project to deliver
high-speed telecommunications systems across North America.

In the past
three years he has become a major early-stage investor in Australian start-ups,
helping to launch a host of companies which togetherr boast a valuation of more
than $100 million.

Three years
ago, Steve launched River City Labs in Brisbane, a leading co-working
community and startup hub to encourage and grow the entrepreneurial scene in
Queensland. In 2014, Steve underwrote the Startup Catalyst program, a mission
to send 20 tech-savvy future entrepreneurs to the Silicon Valley and in
November 2015, announced River City Lab’s imminent expansion plans.

Steve is
married and the proud father of 3 year old daughter and is a keen private pilot
and recreational fisherman.